boat falls off trailer

[GED]

Boat fell off trailer at the weekend in Anglesey and makes a mess of a car….

[whisper]

They were lucky! Isn't that a pac 22 or similar? And is that a mini?

[Chris]

Looks like the trailer parted company wit the tow vehicle went into the red car and the boat was catapulted down the road.... The red car was lucky it was not a more direct hit!

[SteveHall]

Anyone know what actually happened?

I hope everyone was OK after!

[biffer]

This is a good argument for chaining them on to car instead of breakaway cable, it was handy that the boat wasn't more secure on the trailer and jumped out the way so to speak, I would say from my experience that the boat wasn't tied down properly, there wasn't a breakaway cable to deploy the brakes, if there was any, the trailer jumped off the tow vehicle, the pics tell the rest

[thomas]

It's an argument for trailer MOT's and basic licensing, which should help stop this - We had one at the marina last year when the trailer collapsed before it even got to the main road.

I sold a RIB to a bloke who only ever clipped it on with the winch strap, an old one at that, never even bothered to tie the back down, even after being told, fortunately he's sold it now.

[nugent]

Originally Posted by biffer

This is a good argument for chaining them on to car instead of breakaway cable, it was handy that the boat wasn't more secure on the trailer and jumped out the way so to speak, I would say from my experience that the boat wasn't tied down properly, there wasn't a breakaway cable to deploy the brakes, if there was any, the trailer jumped off the tow vehicle, the pics tell the rest

Use 6mm stainless rope my self with a loop to the tow ball in case of this type of event

[Mollers]

Once witnessed an 8+m Enviroment Agency Humber with twin Hondas that had punched through a cornish hedge ( granite and earth 3/4ft thick) and left a vee shaped hole.

The driver of the LR 110 tow vehicle had given it a little too much on a long straight very near to wear I now live. The whole rig had gotten into a death weave, the Landy fell over and the boat was thrown off of the trailer and speared through the hedge.

It would've taken a good few ratchet straps to've kept that lot together.

Driver looked well concerned when I tootled by.

[Trailer Guy]

Originally Posted by biffer

to deploy the brakes, if there was any

I spy, with my little eye.... no brake cables going from the back of those suspension units, to a compensator....someone disconnected their brakes, per chance...

think you may be right there Biff

[biffer]

My boat trailer has a drop pin hitch, it won't ever jump off, if you look at my boat there is a chain holding it to the trailer, look at the MacRib that also has a chain holding it on, it's a habit I have, I try to do things with the thought in my mind, if it's going to happen it will at the worst possible time, I try to limit those times

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Was this you GED or one you have seen?

Where was it? That looks remarkably like a PAC22 that was moored off the Gazelle for a season by certain individuals I know of, but not well.

[kerny]

Originally Posted by thomas

It's an argument for trailer MOT's and basic licensing, which should help stop this

Would it though ?

if like a car you had a 12 month MOT would it stop salt corrosion on the bearings on trailer that is launched into the sea on a regular basis, it's up to the owner to grease up the bearings and check for play in them also the person towing the vehicle should make sure that the trailer is in good working order before towing it and that the boat is tied down and made secure correctly, an MOT won't do that either.

Looks like this person in the pics did not do this and it is very likely that he will be charged by the Police and prosecuted.

Having an MOT won't stop chancers like this person I would have thought.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

In fact that looks remarkably like the road from ABC to Menai. Hmmm

[kerny]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

In fact that looks remarkably like the road from ABC to Menai. Hmmm

Thats what I thought as well.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

We thought right. It is that person/RIB though I won't name them on here.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by biffer

This is a good argument for chaining them on to car instead of breakaway cable,

is the thinking not that for a heavy trailer chained to the car it is more likely the driver looses control of the whole thing?

it was handy that the boat wasn't more secure on the trailer and jumped out the way so to speak

yes if nobody got hurt in that it was very lucky; and I guess could have been worse if several tons of boat hit the car rather than shooting past it!

Originally Posted by thomas

It's an argument for trailer MOT's and basic licensing, which should help stop this -

how would it stop this? people still drive cars without MOTs, cars with MOTs that are no longer roadworthy and badly secured loads on trucks and cars... ...don't see how more paperwork would stop it. It could even make it worse if people think they can simply pass on responsibility to the inspector once a year.

Originally Posted by biffer

My boat trailer has a drop pin hitch, it won't ever jump off,

what's the disadvantage of them? there must be a reason that the ball took off in the first place?

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Poly

is the thinking not that for a heavy trailer chained to the car it is more likely the driver looses control of the whole thing?

Yep. If you lose it , its an even bigger out of control lump.

Originally Posted by Poly

what's the disadvantage of them? there must be a reason that the ball took off in the first place?

They aren't quiet.

[biffer]

They do bang about a bit, I can live with that, the advantages outweigh the disadvantage, if it doesn't jump off you could lose control of the lot, but I've seen car and trailers/ caravans flip without coming off, I'd much rather it jump off the hitch with it chained on it, at least it will follow the car, would make a mess of the back of your car stopping the whole lot but it would be manageable.
I had a trailer jump off years ago because of a mismatch of ball and hitch, my old dad drummed it into me about chaining and likely it was, the trailer dropped to the floor and scuffed along to road behind my van and I just took my foot off the accelerator, put a few good dents in the bumper but that was it

[mick]

Looks like a case of tail wagging the dog to me

[whackywoody]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

We thought right. It is that person/RIB though I won't name them on here.

I'm guessing its Rocky AKA as Looey as he was advertising a Pacific 22 on Ribnet at the weekend as a good potential project